Franklin Park Conservatory

Infobox_nrhp | name =Franklin Park Conservatory
nrhp_type =

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caption = Original western entrance and building (now the palm house
location= Columbus, Ohio
lat_degrees = 39
lat_minutes = 57
lat_seconds = 57
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 82
long_minutes = 57
long_seconds = 2
long_direction = W
locmapin = Ohio
area =
built =1895
architect= Unknown
architecture= No Style Listed
added = January 18, 1974
governing_body = Local
refnum=74001489cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-04-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service] The Franklin Park Conservatory is a botanical garden and conservatory located in Columbus, Ohio. It is open daily except Monday and holidays; an admission fee is charged. Originally built in 1895, the Conservatory is on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it is a horticultural and educational institution showcasing exotic plant collections, special exhibitions, and Dale Chihuly artworks.

The conservatory contains more than 400 plant species. Collections include: Himalayan Mountains, Tropical Rainforest, Desert, Succulent Patio, Bonsai Courtyard, Pacific Island Water Garden & Cloud Forest, Showhouse with orchid and tropical bonsai collections, and Palm House with more than 40 species of palms. The conservatory is set within Franklin Park, and surrounded by 90 acres (36 hectares) of outdoor botanical gardens and green space.

On January 18, 1974, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places

History

Franklin County Agriculture Society purchased 88 acres of land two miles east of downtown Columbus to host the first Franklin County Fair in 1852. By 1874, the Franklin County Agricultural Society agreed on the importance of this piece of land, increased the size to 93 acres, and made it the official site of the Ohio State Fair.

For several years, the state fairgrounds were a popular destination. History was made on August 11, 1880 when General William Tecumseh Sherman delivered his famous statement, “War is Hell,” in a speech to Civil War veterans.

The state fair occupied the site until 1884, when it moved to a new location north of Columbus. With the change, the lot was abandoned. But on May 17, 1886, the site was officially revived when the Ohio State Legislature passed a resolution declaring it open for use as a public park.

In 1893, the Chicago’s World Fair and Columbian Exposition was an immensely influential social and cultural event. It inspired the city of Columbus to create a horticulture building modeled after the Exposition’s Glass Palace. This glass structure, built in the grand Victorian style, was erected in Franklin Park and opened to the public in 1895 as the Franklin Park Conservatory.

From 1895 to 1989, Columbus Recreation and Parks Department owned and operated the Conservatory. Unfortunately, little is known about the Conservatory’s earliest days, as a fire in Columbus City Hall destroyed it's records in 1921. Much of the Conservatory’s history has been documented from newspapers and personal written accounts.

For a short period starting in 1927, animals were kept in the lower rooms of the Conservatory. In 1929, these animals left the Conservatory and became part of the first Columbus Zoo.

Over time, the facility developed a reputation for horticultural excellence and the display of rare and unusual plants. The Conservatory also became a popular location for family gatherings, weddings, and other events.

In 1974, in recognition of the Conservatory’s historic and architectural merit, the original glass structure, today known as the Palm House, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

AmeriFlora '92

In November 1986, Franklin Park and the Conservatory became the host site for AmeriFlora '92, a world-class, international horticulture exposition. Temporary management of the park and Conservatory was turned over to the organizers of AmeriFlora. The event officially was sanctioned by the Association International des Producteurs de l’Horticulture as a Class A international horticulture exposition.

In preparation for the event, renovation of the historic structure and a US$14 million expansion began in 1989. Additions totaled 58,000 ft² (5390 m²)and included an Himalayan Collection, Lowland Rainforest, Desert, Pacific Island Water Garden, Tree Fern Forest, Tropical Cloud Forest, classrooms, library, gift shop, café and administrative offices. On February 14 of the same year, the U.S. Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission sanctioned AmeriFlora as an official 1992 commemorative event.

Before AmeriFlora opened, on April 10, 1991, the Ohio Legislature created the Franklin Park Conservatory Joint Recreation District for the long-term management and maintenance of Franklin Park Conservatory. Ownership of the Conservatory and surrounding 28 acres was to be conferred to a new 10-member board of trustees at the close of AmeriFlora. The remaining 65 acres were to be returned to the City of Columbus.

AmeriFlora ’92 opened on April 3, 1992 and ran through October 12, 1992. A celebration of Columbus’ voyages to America, the exposition featured live performances, a Taste of Nations pavilion and international shops. Major exhibits included the Community of Nations’ Gardens, Walt Disney World’s 20th anniversary topiary display, and the new Stephen Canneto NavStar ’92 sculpture representing the sails of Columbus’ ships. While more than one million people attended, AmeriFlora was not a financial success.

Present Day

In the wake of AmeriFlora, Franklin Park Conservatory’s future lay in question. However, the decision was made in December 1992 to hire an executive director. With a handful of dedicated staff, volunteers, and an operating budget of $500,000, the institution began to regain its identity and momentum.

In 1994, Franklin Park Conservatory debuted Blooms & Butterflies, becoming the first conservatory in the nation to showcase a seasonal butterfly exhibition. It was an instant success. Since then, the annual exhibition features thousands of tropical butterflies flying through the Pacific Island Water Garden. It attracts thousands of visitors each year, and other conservatories throughout the nation have followed suit.

In 1996, the Conservatory’s board of trustees was expanded to 17 members, and by 1998, the Conservatory’s staff and its board developed a comprehensive strategic plan and mission statement to ensure its success:

The years 2003 and 2004 brought new milestones when Franklin Park Conservatory presented "Chihuly at the Conservatory", a blockbuster exhibition that increased attendance by 182 percent. On October 29, 2004, the Friends of the Conservatory, a private, nonprofit group that supports the Conservatory’s programming, made a stunning move. They purchased nearly the entire exhibition of Dale Chihuly’s artworks valued at close to $7 million. To this day, Franklin Park Conservatory is the only public botanical garden in the world to own a signature collection of Chihuly’s magnificent glass artworks, which represents over 3,000 pieces of glass.

In 2006, Franklin Park Conservatory has an operating budget of more than $4 million, a staff of 75 and more than 250 volunteers. The facility offers a wide range of educational classes for school groups, families, and individuals of all ages. Its extensive plant collections and special exhibitions provide hands-on learning opportunities about the natural world, gardening, and the arts.

ee also

* List of botanical gardens in the United States

References

External links

* [http://www.fpconservatory.org Franklin Park Conservatory]